Millsaps College is pleased to announce that senior Brittany Wilson has earned an esteemed Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant for an English teaching assistantship in Taiwan for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Wilson, a senior majoring in math and creative writing, explains that her decision to teach in Taiwan came from the deep connection she found between the country’s culture and her academic pursuits.
“I want to immerse myself in their culture,” Brittany said. “I don’t want them to feel like I’m only over there teaching, I want them to know that I’m there to learn as well. I want to provide a mutually beneficial relationship.”
Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected in an open, merit-based competition that considers leadership potential, academic and personal achievement and record of service.
Student-for-student, Millsaps is the strongest school in Mississippi for national awards. The college’s students have received more prestigious awards per capita than many top-20 liberal arts colleges ranked by U.S. News and World Report.
“I think it’s going to be a very positive experience,” Brittany explained. “My education at Millsaps has prepared me well for everything I may face.”
Recipient’s careers are enriched by joining a network of thousands of accomplished Fulbright alumni, many of whom are leaders in their fields. Notable alumni include 62 Nobel Prize laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize recipients, 78 MacArthur Fellows and 41 who have served as a head of state government.
More than 2,000 U.S. students, artists and early career professionals in more than 100 different fields of study receive Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards annually. The program, administered by the U.S. Department of State, fosters cultural exchange by offering grants for individuals to study, conduct research or teach English abroad.
Dr. Lynn Raley, Millsaps College Fulbright program advisor explained, “When Brittany became a semi-finalist, I already had a good feeling about her chances of being selected, and sure enough, she got it! I’m very excited about her going to Taiwan, where I taught at a large university as a Fulbright Scholar a few years ago. Brittany will assist an English teacher at a local school, most likely an elementary or junior high school. She could be located virtually anywhere on the island, from a large city of two or three million, to a small village in the mountains or on one of Taiwan’s offshore islands.
“Brittany’s main job will be to interact closely in the classroom with a local English teacher, as the “native” English speaker, and as a consultant on American culture. Besides participating in cultural projects and extracurricular activities, as an ETA she’ll do community engagement during the grant period, completing eight hours of community service each semester. (This could involve anything from storytelling in a library, assisting at a home for the elderly or even cleaning up a beach.)
“Taiwan is a dynamic, foreigner-friendly place, with cutting-edge technology, universal health care, and an amazing infrastructure of public transportation that makes virtually anywhere on the island of 24 million people easily reachable. While the official language is Mandarin Chinese, most people understand some basic English, and the literacy rate is close to 100%. They are among the most highly educated people in the world (ranked third in the world in mathematics, fourth in science and fifth in reading).
“Brittany will love the Taiwanese people, who are undoubtedly among the friendliest in the world. And I know she will be a great representative of the US. Brittany’s grant period is for 11 months, with orientation beginning in August. This is a great accomplishment for Brittany, and I can’t wait to hear all her stories next year!”